Improvement in setting-instruments for attaching buttons



0. H'EATON.

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THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTO.-LlTl i.39&4! PARK PLAGE,N.Y.

DAVID HEATON, on PROVIDENCE, nnonn ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN SETTING-INSTRUMENTS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS. 8:0.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 160,056, dated February23, 1875 appication filed December 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID HEATON, of the cityand county of Providence and State of Ithode Island, have invented a newand useful Improvement in the Setting-Instrument for Attaching Buttons,Studs, 850., by prongs, to wearing apparel, of which the following is aspecification, referring to the accompanying drawings making part of thesame, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedsetting-instrument. Fig. 2 is a like View and cross-section (in part) ofthe same. Fig. 3 is similar view of the same, showing the buttonfastenerproperly set. Fig. 4 is an elevation and section of the opposite side ofthe settinginstrument. Fig. 5 is a plan of the face of the upper jaw Aof the setting-instrument. Fig. 6 is a plan of the face of the lower jawB of the settinginstrument. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the saidbutton and fastener united. Fig. 8 is a plan of the platform-spring atdetached from the upper jaw A.

Similar letters mark like parts in all the figures.

The said setting-instrument is designed to attach buttons, studs, &c.,having penetratingpron gs for fastenings,to shoes and other wearingapparel, by putting the prongs through the material and clinching theirends on the back side of the same, the object being to simplify theconstruction of the instrument, and the operation of setting orattaching the buttons, or other articles of the kind, in order to renderthe use of the same easy and effective in the hands of unskillfulpersons, as well as others.

As herein shown, the setting-instrument is arranged to set or attach thecommon shoebutton, with a wire eye or shank, united with a metallicfastener having penetrating-pron gs for passing through the material,and clinchin g underneath; and the plan adopted for said instrument isthat the button shall be properly held in one jaw of a pair of pinchers,while the other jaw is so shaped as a die that, by the single operationof shutting the two jaws together, the fastening-pron gs are made topenetrate the material, and clinched flatly on the back side of thesame.

The first part of my invention relates to the means by which the buttonand its metallic fastener are held in one jaw of the said instrumentpreparatory to being set in the material of the apparel; and thisconsists of a spring with a slotted platform at its free end to receivethe button, and an arched slot in the face of the jaw to receive theconnecting part of the metallic fastener.

The second part of my invention relates to the means by which thefastening-prongs of thebutton, 850., are driven through and clinchedagainst the material; and this consists of a die wrought in the face ofthe opposite jaw of said instrument, in the proper form to receive thepoints of the said prongs, and to deflect and bend the same togetheragainst and into the material, by shutting the two jaws together.

The two jaws A and B of the setting-instrument have each handles 0 andD, by which they are operated by the human hand, in a manner well known.The upper jaw A is formed with a recess, E, opening from one side, forthe reception of the button-head L; also with a lateral opening, I,completely through said jaw, in extension of a recess, J, on theopposite side. containing a spring, m, shown in Figs. 4. and 8, the freeend of which passes through the opening 1, and forms a slotted platform,I, upon which the buttonhead rests, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with thewire eye or shank of the button extending downward through the slot insaid platform. The face of the jaw A is formed with a slot, R, Figs. 1and 5, for the reception of the connecting part 'i of the metallicfastener G, said slot being concaved or arched in the face of the jaw tocorrespond with the shape of the connecting part i, as shown in Figs. 2and 3. The button-fastener Gr is shown clearly in Fig. 7. It is cut andbent in form from sheet metal generally. In this instance it has threefastening-prongs, (two, e, at the front, and one, s, at the rear,) andthese are beveled-pointed at the sides or edges, and thinned flatwisefrom the outside, as shown; and these prongs are driven through thematerial by pressing the two jaws together, in a manner well known, butwith better effect by means of the die B, Figs. 2 and 6, in the lowerjaw. This die, it will be seen, is composed of three circular cavitiesor countersinks, d 01 61 and three parallel concave grooves, t t 1?. Thethree cavities receive the three pointed ends of the prongs e e and S,in driving the same through the material, by shutting the jaws together,and facilitate the penetration of said points. The concaved groovesextend from these cavities, past each other, and deflect the prongs inopposite directions past each other, and bend and clinch them flatlyagainst the back side of the fabric T, as shown in Fig. 3. The rearprong S, by reason of the thinning of the metal at the point, and theshape of the concave groove t into which it is pressed, becomes curvcdat its end like the claw of a bird, and in this form is embedded in theundersurface of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby its resistanceto any force that would tend to pull it from the material is greatlyincreased.

The construction of the said holding and clinching mechanism being asdescribed, and arranged in the pincher-jaws, the setting operation isperformed by placing a united button and fastener in the platform 1? ofthe spring m, with the arched connection i in the arched slot of theupper jaw, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, bringing at the same time thethree pron g-' points to shut into the three cavities d, 850., of thelower jaw'die H. The parts now being in proper position the material isinserted between the jaws; the prongs are placed on the spot where thebutton is to be set, and, by a single impulsive shutting of the two jawstogether, the prongs are both driven through the material, and clinchedfirmly upon the back side of the same, in a more simple and effectivemanner than instruments heretofore in use requiring two and threedistinct movements of the jaws to accomplish the same object.

Besides the use in connection with pincherjaws, as herein set forth, thesaid holding and clinching mechanism is applicable to organized machinesto be operated by a treadle or power, and these applications are hereincontemplated.

Having described my invention, 1 claim- 1. The die B, constructed withcircular cavities d (1 d and concave grooves t t t in the face of thejaw, constituting the clinching mechanism, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the die B, constructed as described, with theplatform-spring m and jaw A, provided with the arched groove or slot R,all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

DAVID HEATON.

Witnesses:

Isaac A. BROWNELL, EDWIN O. POMROY.

